WITH the weather starting to turn colder, elderly York residents are being warned by health experts to get ready for winter.

North Yorkshire and York Community and Mental Health Services teamed up with Age Concern York for Getting Ready For Winter Day, which took place yesterday at The Folk Hall, New Earswick.

The event featured help and advice on keeping warm and safe throughout the cold months.

Adele Harvey, the trust’s falls prevention co-ordinator, said: “We would particularly like to raise awareness of our falls prevention service.

“Through falls prevention we are able to not only improve patient care but also encourage independence for older people within the community.”

Age Concern York’s chief officer, Sally Hutchinson, said: “We have discovered through our own experience and research that twice as many older people fall in the winter than the other seasons.

“Coupled with the many other worrying issues we are faced with this winter, especially rising fuel bills, we decided to work with North Yorkshire and York Community and Mental Health Services to encourage older people to prepare for winter so they and their carers will be able to address any problems or worries they have before they are allowed to escalate.”